The Arts – Conscious Community Magazinehttp://consciouscommunitymagazine.com
Dedicated to Elevating ConsciousnessFri, 16 Feb 2018 21:17:12 +0000en-UShourly1https://wordpress.org/?v=4.9.4Conscious Community™ Magazine is a Chicago-based publication and winner of the Conscious Evolutionaries Wheel of CoCreation Award. Founded in 1979, we are the oldest spiritual magazine in the United States dedicated to elevating consciousness. <br />
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Our podcast features guests discussing a range of topics related to consciousness, such as spirituality, health, wellness, yoga, numerology, astrology, relationships, organic gardening, animal/pet care, conscious commerce, art, music and more. <br />
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We at Conscious Community Magazine believe that mindful communication can foster positive growth, and we are all co-creators of this world. We feel we are called to play our part elevating the consciousness level of humanity in our communities, our nations, and the world.The Arts – Conscious Community MagazinecleanepisodicThe Arts – Conscious Community Magazinespencer@consciouscommunitymagazine.comspencer@consciouscommunitymagazine.com (The Arts – Conscious Community Magazine)Janae Jean and Spencer SchluterUnify and awaken the masses to their full potential through uplifting, timely, and inspiring communications.The Arts – Conscious Community Magazinehttp://consciouscommunitymagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/powerpress/dancing_people-New.jpghttp://consciouscommunitymagazine.com/category/conscious-community-magazine/the-arts/
scschluter@gmail.comConscious Community™ Magazine is a Chicago-based publication and winner of the Conscious Evolutionaries Wheel of CoCreation Award. Founded in 1979, we are the oldest spiritual magazine in the United States dedicated to elevating consciousness.
Our podcast features guests discussing a range of topics related to consciousness, such as spirituality, health, wellness, yoga, numerology, astrology, relationships, organic gardening, animal/pet care, conscious commerce, art, music and more.
We at Conscious Community Magazine believe that mindful communication can foster positive growth, and we are all co-creators of this world. We feel we are called to play our part elevating the consciousness level of humanity in our communities, our nations, and the world. Monthly113618938Common Unity – Interview with Ian Simkinshttp://consciouscommunitymagazine.com/simkins_common_unity/
http://consciouscommunitymagazine.com/simkins_common_unity/#respondThu, 15 Feb 2018 01:39:05 +0000http://consciouscommunitymagazine.com/?p=9021
Interview by Janae Jean & Spencer Schluter –

Our February mid-month podcast guest is Ian Simkins of the Beauty In The Common project. Ian currently serves as pastor at Community Christian Church in Naperville, Ill. He has spoken across the United States and around the world, toured the United States with a harpist, taught at two universities, worked with several justice ministries, played drums on two albums, intentionally lived on the streets of Philadelphia for a week, and been a guest on numerous radio shows. Ian founded theBeauty In The Common project in 2015. It has grown from a small local group of friends to a web community of over 22,000 people.

The following article only contains a snippet of our conversation, listen to the podcast below to hear much more and subscribe on iTunes, GooglePlay, Stitcher, and/or YouTube. –J.J.

Pastor Ian Simkins

Janae: Let’s start by talking by about Beauty In The Common. How did you come up with the idea? What are the different parts?

Ian: For a couple of years, we were hosting these songwriter gatherings at my house… So we thought why don’t we utilize that space and create an opportunity for different creatives from around the area to share… spoken word, songs, fine art or poetry. We would come up with different themes for each night… I was really interested in this idea of the beauty of things that are so easily overlooked and our obsession with “mountain top” experiences. What happens in all that “valley” time that we live in 99 percent of the time? So I shared, “I’m interested in exploring the idea of Beauty in the Common.” One of my buddies at the table asked, “Did you just come up with that? Whose phrase is that?” I was like… “I think its mine.” Another buddy had his phone out, and he said, “The domain’s available; you should buy the website!” I was like, “Whoa… hold on… [laughs] I was just processing out loud this idea that I’ve been reading about a bit.”

That next week my alma mater, Judson University in Elgin, Ill., invited me to come out and speak for a weeklong series of chapels. They asked, “Do you have any themes? We’re open to themes this year.” I shared with them an expanded version of this Beauty in the Common idea…. To their credit, they were like, “We love it! We’d love to help support you in that. Let’s do it.” I proposed to them… “How about instead of me teaching for 30, 35 minutes, what if I just teach for ten and then have songwriters, poets, painters and dancers? Let’s create a different kind of experience.” At first, they were like, “No, we’d rather just have you teach.” But, the more we talked about it, the more open to the idea they became. What we did was… because it was five chapels… we framed it in a binary structure. Each day, I would tackle two sides of the same coin. So, the first day was beauty in community and beauty in solitude. Then the next day was beauty in chaos and beauty in stillness. I invited friends from the area that I knew to write original songs based on those themes. I assigned them each a different theme, and they created these incredible songs.

So, we had this five-day experience, and we had these ten songs. When we were done it was done in my mind. All of these artists were like, “So what’s next? What are we doing now?” That was kind of “it” for me. I didn’t really think past this. Jeremiah, one of the songwriters, actually ran a studio in Naperville, so we said, “Let’s capture these songs.” A bunch of the Judson students had been studying film, and they said, “We can film these songs too! We can create a whole collection of these things.” I was like, “Okay, sure.” So we booked a day at the studio, A Place In The Trees in Naperville with Jeremiah and Matt… That’s when we dreamt up this project called The Common Year.

So what The Common Year is like is the earliest church gatherings and what those times actually looked like. This one scholar was talking about the components that were present in every one of those gatherings: word, time, music, meal and prayer. And so, we developed a yearlong experience based on those five. At the beginning of each month, we release a song with a particular theme. Then each week we released a different narrative written by friends or family based on the structure of five. We had Catholic, Protestant and Agnostic writers on this project. A couple of years later, it’s become this really eclectic collection of thinkers, writers, artists and poets. It’s been really wild; it’s become a whole lot more than any of us ever thought it would be.

The Beauty In The Common Zine

JJ: What I really think is interesting is that it’s a return to the liturgical year, or even before the Church, the Wheel of the Year. It’s the idea that we see our lives as moving through time, and I think that is something that is really missing. You miss so much of the beauty in life when you don’t stop and say. “This is life. This is now. This is life happening right now.”

IS: Right. A lot of the idea for beauty specifically came from the Catholic Church actually. Historically, they have the transcendentals that were drawn a lot from Plato’s writings. These transcendentals… were truth, goodness and beauty…

Beauty has a way of drawing out of us or moving us in a way that simply arguing doctrinal or political views just simply can’t. That’s kind of the lifeblood of the whole thing, which is why we’ve been able to have different writers from different backgrounds. It’s not about furthering some brand; it’s not owned by some church or denomination. It’s all about what our lives would be like if we were actually intentional about being captivated, about finding wonder and awe, in the “everyday-ness” of our lives.

The thing about the word “common” is that it simply doesn’t mean ordinary. It means being centered; finding more common ground with the people we interact with; starting first with what unites us. What do we have that’s similar? What if we started there and offer people opportunities to actually experience wonder and awe in the “everyday-ness” of their lives? We’ve found that to be really, really powerful, more so than we thought it would be.

Spencer: I think that anyone who is expending effort to derail the effort to find common ground is really dangerous. I don’t think I’m overstating that; it’s a danger to humanity.

IS: That’s justifiably scary. One of the things Brené Brown says that I really appreciate is… “People are hard to hate up close; so lean in.” For me, I’m not naïve enough to think we just need to create a space for people to come, and they’ll heal. Some people just want to see the world burn… I’ve also seen people radically transformed when they experience the “no-strings-attached” type love of a community. They actually feel that they are known, seen and heard and that can change a life.

IS: What we have done for Lent … that people really resonate with is create a daily challenge to see or express a particular word that day. Sometimes that means sharing it on social media with #beautyinthecommon. Others don’t share any of it online, but they do with their family. We offer a daily focus – something to be mindful of that day. What we’ve found is a lot of mindfulness focuses solely on things that you would probably put in the category of positive, but I think that’s only half the story. Part of being fully alive and in the world isn’t that the highs are higher, but we also really, truly center into times of grief as well. We don’t do that very well as a culture… So if we can be mindful of that which is beautiful, kind or joyful in the world, but be mindful of sorrow, grief, sadness, or pain. So, we usually create some challenge for the season of Lent… It’s come a really cool part of the calendar.

Janae Jean serves as editor, social media manager and podcaster forConscious Community Magazine. She has an M.M. in computer music composition from Johns Hopkins University and a BA in Music/Education from Judson University. Janae is actively researching using electronically generated sounds for healing. See janaejean.comandperennialmusicandarts.com for details about Janae’s upcoming classes, lesson information, workshops, shows and projects.

Spencer Schluter is the advertising account manager, social media manager and podcaster forConscious Community Magazine. His experience includes visual communications, advertising, social media, marketing, public relations and business development. Visityggstudios.com for more information about his freelance design and consulting work. He is also a master level Reiki and traditional Chinese Qigong practitioner.

]]>http://consciouscommunitymagazine.com/simkins_common_unity/feed/0Interview by Janae Jean & Spencer Schluter – Our February mid-month podcast guest is Ian Simkins of the Beauty In The Common project. Ian currently serves as pastor at Community Christian Church in Naperville, Ill.Interview by Janae Jean & Spencer Schluter – Our February mid-month podcast guest is Ian Simkins of the Beauty In The Common project. Ian currently serves as pastor at Community Christian Church in Naperville, Ill. He has spoken across the United States and around the world, toured the United States with a harpist, taught at two ...The Arts – Conscious Community Magazineclean1:06:419021The HeART of Community – Big-HeARTedhttp://consciouscommunitymagazine.com/the-heart-of-community-big-hearted/
http://consciouscommunitymagazine.com/the-heart-of-community-big-hearted/#respondThu, 30 Nov 2017 22:33:43 +0000http://consciouscommunitymagazine.com/?p=8444

By Misty Soderholm –

The greatest gift you can give does not have a price tag. It has a heart tag, a sentiment from a deep place in your spirit that speaks love in its very presence. The greatest gift cannot be bought in a store; it’s mainly found within your sacred HeART space. A poem, a song or piece of art made by you will last in their spirit much longer than an insignificant material possession. Even something as simple as a hug and a smile or giving all your attention to that person in the present moment is truly one of the biggest forms of love you can give. A gift from the heart is filled with a powerful intention for someone’s happiness and can deeply touch the person’s life forever.

The HeART of generosity is giving without expectations. Giving from a space of true unconditional love is not about what you will get in return. Cultivating good karma in our lives is based on what we give is what we get and having the attitude of gratitude. Giving from our heart is an outward expression of our spirit’s compassion, understanding and forgiveness of others. No act of kindness is ever wasted and unexpected kindness is always the best. You don’t need a holiday for a reason to share your love. Gifts out of obligation carry no spiritual meaning, but gifts out of genuine good will carry true happiness with them. There is no better reward than seeing a smiling face after you have reached down to help rise another up or given something worthwhile from your heart. When you are full of generosity in the spirit, then you are full of joy in your heart. Your gracious heart is shown by your benevolence throughout your lifetime. Before you run out and spend all your hard earned money on more stuff for your loved ones, stop and think how you can give a purposeful gift from your sacred HeART space instead. Tap into your creative HeART and shower your loved ones with drops of meaningful kindness instead of material things. Its time to be Big-HeARTed in the most simple and genuine way and to always give from a creative space of grace.

The Greatest Gift

I give you my shoulder so you have a place to cry,
I give you my unity so we never have to say goodbye.

I give you my smile to brighten your day,
I give you my hand to help you on your way.

I give you my heart to fill yours with love,
I give you my prayers to bless you from above.

I give you my body so we can release your pain,
I give you my happiness when it’s pouring rain.

I give you my silence so we can sit and rest in peace,
I give you my belief so your miracles never cease.

I give you my air so you can take a deep breath,
I give you my eternity so you release the fear of death.

I give you my life so we can save yours,
I give you my strength to help you open new doors.

I give you my dreams so your hope doesn’t die,
I give you my truth so you never have to lie.

I give you my embrace to bring you out of the cold,
I give you my energy to stand up and be bold.

I give you my courage to be strong and never hide,
I give you my spirit so you can feel yours deep inside.

I give you my ear to listen and understand,
I give you my world so let’s go make our footprints in the sand.

Are you ready to take that jump? A leap of HeART that requires every ounce of courage you have to live your purpose. As you prepare for your wildest dreams you must step outside of your comfort zone and live each moment as if it’s your last. No one goes to their deathbed wishing they had worked another day. Most go with regrets of words not spoken, time not spent with loved ones, places they didn’t see and risks not taken. Look at your life as a piece of artwork, with each brush stroke being a breath from the universe to create your beautiful masterpiece.

When I think of happiness, it means living each moment to the fullest with a childlike heart and playing this game of life with no fear. Trusting in your creative HeART to lead you on whatever unique adventures are meant for you. Ask yourself, if money was no object how would you spend your time? Where would you travel? What would you accomplish? These are the things that only you can discover deep in the stillness of your spirit.

To create your HeART’s desire, you must put your thoughts and dreams into action. The first step to that is writing them down and creating your “Bucket List”. As you begin to cross each milestone off, continue to add to this never-ending tally of your life’s journey. You will then begin to achieve what once seemed impossible.

Winner of our Photo Contest Holly Coop, with her image titled “Leaping Out of My Fears and Into My Purpose,” said it best about her photo. “This is a woman ready to take a leap, to jump outside of her fears and into her purpose. Finally standing on her own two feet.”

“Bucket List“

They say you shouldn’t end this ride,
With all your life’s music still inside,
So they insist, that you write a bucket list.

It’s a list of goals and things to do,
Before the bucket is kicked by you,
So nothing is missed, write a bucket list.

My list was customized for my personal style,
I kept adding to it all the while,
Anything I couldn’t resist, I added to my bucket list.

I saw spacious homes and sleek-looking cars,
Tropical islands where you could see all the stars,
And I said, “I gotta put this, on my bucket list.”

I tasted flavors of ice cream that melted and dripped,
While I was driving my convertible fully equipped,
And I said, “I gotta put this, on my bucket list.”

I heard voices sing songs that were tender and sweet,
And music that invited me to tap my feet,
And I said, “I gotta put this, on my bucket list.”

I sniffed gardens of flowers for potpourri,
Selected interesting courses for a college degree,
And I said, “I gotta put this, on my bucket list.”

I saw the fast lane and heard the starter’s gun,
And I saw those long muscular legs on the run,
And I said, “I gotta put this, on my bucket list.”

I had fast driving, sky diving, and bungee jumping,
And other adventures to keep my heart pumping,
Until tragedy hit and I said, “I gotta fix my bucket list.”

It doesn’t matter if tragedy was a great big fall,
Or a tiny stumble or a short-term crawl,
The point is, it was a wake-up call.

I had a long list, once upon a time.
I narrowed it down to peace of mind.
And I said, “I can live and die with this.”

The music inside me still keeps me thrilled,
But peace of mind keeps me fulfilled.
And I said, “I’ve completed my bucket list.”

Don’t you worry, don’t you fret
I don’t think death is upon me yet
Cause peace of mind, is on eternal time.

There is a HeARTbeat that unites us all, pumping through the veins of our Mother Earth, and flowing right back through ours. Both hearts feeding off the others’ creations, but most are unaware of this connection. Have you stopped long enough to feel it, to hear it, to dance with the undulating contractions of the HeARTbeat of Gaia? Its passion roars through many layers of our existence and continues to call out to us for change.

The beat of the Earth’s hypnotic drum lies deep within the strains of our DNA. The resonance of the sound of creation vibrates down to the very core of our being. The essence of our spirit is sparked by the universal rhythmic pulse, which guides us to follow the beat of our own drum. Unfortunately the noise of the world and chatter of our mind block us from this healing connection to all that is. The good news is we can rediscover it again within the silence of our sacred HeART space and connecting to nature and all those around us.

The universe is always supporting your thoughts, words and actions, so be impeccable with what you say, chose and do. For you are making your destiny with each breath and step that you take. So walk tall, and root yourself to Mother Earth’s blessings. Share your voice, and sing loud with the birds. Run up the mountains, and achieve your hearts desires. Flow like the rivers carving your own path while nourishing your surroundings. Ride the waves of the amniotic sea, and enjoy the spontaneous adventures that the universe has for you.

As you tune into the HeARTbeat of Gaia, universal guidance and support will create profound, synchronistic miracles in your life. As your unique droplet falls into the cosmic ocean, you can unify your ripple with the heart of creation and achieve the impossible. The womb of Gaia lies within your sacred HeART; if you tap into it, the ability to create magic and wonder in your life becomes effortless.
Has your creative HeART flat-lined? Have you lost that connection with the HeARTbeat of Gaia? What heals you will be what fills your life with excitement, happiness, and love. Go within, go to nature, go create, go laugh, go hug, go breathe in the beauty of the world and experience life to the fullest. As we all raise and unify our energy together, and heal ourselves, we help to heal our precious Mother Earth.

Poetry Contest winner:

Gaia

Goddess, your thighs stained
with birth-waters of creation
each amniotic pulse the rise and fall of the ocean
moon heaving on your breast, waxing transition
you midwife yourself into the world
each extended contraction an act of devotion
to all children who are yet to be
awaiting organic eruption.

Afterbirth.
Mother mountain, so great
Himalayas quake
when you smile.
Mami Wata, so vast
your fingers touch
two continents at once.
Nanay flame, heart so hot
your passion turns rock to liquid fire.
Granny wind, so ancient
on your breath is every story ever told.

Your body immutable, indisputable,
forged by nebulous, cosmic wombs
and Sirius’ seminal spark.
You have borne faces of fire, water, and rock
through ages Cambrian and Cretaceous
the lines of time writing themselves in geological verse.

We scrawl tattoos across your belly, your back
yet you smile beneath asphalt and neon
your Hadean heart never breached
by pipeline or diamond mine;
only the infant mind of humankind
could think themselves so godly.

So I dance on the skin of unadulterated Earth
remembering my origin:
in the embrace of the oceanic ovary
telling stories on the world’s windy tongue,
her seismic fire in my heart.— Kay “Kro” Kroger

Intimacy… what does that mean to you? To most it means physical touch, but to the lucky few it goes way beyond this physical realm. To me, the very sound of the word “intimacy” says it all when it’s broken down, in-to-me-you-see. It’s an intimacy so deep that it can be felt without touch, heard without saying a word, and seen with your eyes closed. A spiritual connection that taps into higher consciousness and a level of communication that will at moments leave you speechless. Intimacy falls into all levels of our lives; physical, emotional, mental, spiritual, and drastically affects our health.

True intimacy is our way to truly connect with others in a sacred soul space that transcends space and time and reflects our own scars and beauty. It is open hearts sharing and speaking their truths without fear or anxiety to be who they really are. True intimacy is looking in the other’s eyes, the windows to the soul, and seeing the depth of their story, not the color of their iris. To share this space, you must stop long enough to be present, be open, and listen. When you are able to share these intimate soul connections with others, you have begun to find your tribe and regain your well-being.

I’m learning the most important aspect of being happy is having positive, nurturing relationships in our lives. One of the best feelings in this world is sharing a level of intimacy with others that offer a comfortable and loving space to be ourselves and express our thoughts without judgment and expectations.

This also applies to your intimate relationship with yourself. How are you living your life’s purpose? How much are you willing to forgive and let go? How far are you willing to dig into the depths of your shadow self to heal? How much time and energy are you willing to invest to nurture your relationship with yourself? True intimacy exposes our deepest wounds and tragedies, yet opens us up to our true selves and brings our biggest lessons.

Your Intimate HeART is one of compassion, grace, creativity, understanding, humbleness, unconditional love, and truth. Explore your relationship with yourself by spending time alone to connect to your spirit, regardless of what religious beliefs you may have. Learn to love that time; be in the present moment with the most important person in your life, You. Go for a walk alone, write in your journal, read a book, sing a song, move your body, meditate or say a prayer. Once you tap into that sacred soul space in your heart, the possibilities are endless. To share true intimacy with others, you must first be able to share it with yourself. Eventually you will cherish that alone time as much as you cherish the time in your relationships.

Finding true intimacy with ourselves and others keeps us healthier and happier in all aspects of our lives. I challenge you to change your perception of intimacy and open up to all it has to offer.

Intimacy (In-to-me-you-see)

In-to-me-you-see my heart filled with love and grace,and into you I see the same with smiles on our face.

In-to-me-you-see my soul filled with bliss and light,and into you I see the same where our spirits shine so bright.

In-to-me-you-see my mind constantly thinking of you,and into you I see the same giving love in all we do.

In-to-me-you-see my Christ filled with warmth and peace,and into you I see the same where miracles never cease.

In-to-me-you-see yourself and the same in you I see,by looking deep within our eyes we share true intimacy.

— Misty Soderholm

Bucket List Photo Contest: Please submit your best photo representing the exploring HeART and spirit of checking off something from your bucket list. The winner of contest will be featured in our “The HeArt of Community” column in November. Please submit entries by e-mail to misty.soderholm@soderworldwellness.com and you can go to our website, call 630-455-5885 or stop into the center to pay $5 entry fee. Your entry is not official until we receive payment. The deadline is October 1st, 2017.

Misty Soderholm is a Founder & Director of SoderWorld Wellness Center & Academy. We are proud to offer a huge variety of the most amazing treatments and spiritual classes available. www.soderworldwellness.com; www.solfloarts.com; www.floweroflifeartgallery.com.

The passing of so many superstar musicians in 2016 had a profound impact on millions of people around the world. Whether you’re a fan, and/or a professional musician, you know how deeply Prince, David Bowie, Glenn Frey, and others touched your life from a distance.

Less well-known musicians are also leaving us. If you’re a fan of New Age music, you likely enjoy insightful album and video reviews that deepen your appreciation and love for the art forms. The New Age music community is already missing Michael Diamond, a much loved and respected San Francisco Bay area music producer, recording artist, and reviewer.

His passing has been particularly painful and shocking for me. He was one of my closest friends over the past 10 years, bonding beyond music and our guitar heroes, Jimi Hendrix and Carlos Santana; our love of the celestial orchestral sounds of our main synths; as well as our shared physical challenges. I was perhaps the last person to see him in his hospital room before he was to enter hospice. When I was abruptly awoken from a deep sleep by a bright light at 1:40 that morning, I knew he was saying goodbye.

Michael Diamond – Music and Media Focus

Michael was one of the few professional reviewers who combined well-honed journalistic skills with the insights of a musician. More than just reviewing an individual album, he would include relevant background to add context to provide the reader with a real sense of what the album sounded like, and what the intention behind the album was.

He understood that the role of a critic/reviewer included being an educator. That was the same tradition I was brought up with as a writer, and part of why we bonded so quickly. As reviewers, we often “compared notes” concerning albums. I invite you to check out his literary art at MichaelDiamondMusic.com. You can tell he spent a lot of time writing them. When he reviewed my album Deep Alpha, he picked up on subtle nuances that no other reviewer did.

When Michael had completed his first solo album, Atlantis Rising (2005), I mentored him in navigating the New Age market, distributing his follow-up album Indigo Moon (2008), as well. More recently in 2014, we worked together on Ambient Alchemy, which he considered his masterpiece.

No Such Thing as “Routine Surgery?”

Michael had postponed a “routine exploratory surgery” until December 15th, and it seemed to go smoothly. Two days later, however, he suffered a massive stroke due to post-op complications, and never fully recovered. Post-op mortality is far more common than I realized.

I had never dealt with a close friend having a stroke. Strokes often give no warning. Situations like this severely tested our spiritual principles and philosophies, as we endeavored to honor his DNR wishes, yet support potential recovery and healing.

He passed on January 27. As a sound healer, I was quite surprised at how un-healing the hospital and nursing home environments were. I’ve read that hearing is the last sense to go, so I brought in a CD player and left healing music on auto-repeat.

We were all struck by how insidious strokes are. I now understand why there are so many TV ads about strokes, ads that I never really paid attention to before. Perhaps you’ve gone through a similar awareness upgrade. Special thanks to all the nurses, doctors, healers, and caregivers who assisted Michael in his transition.

Michael’s sister, and two other close friends want to offer their words:

Michael started acoustic guitar lessons at the age of seven, and never put his guitar down. He started out playing folk music, and would come home every day from school, grab his guitar, and play for hours and hours. He later discovered the electric guitar (Jimi Hendrix, Santana), and wanted to be a rock and roll star till he found his true love–New Age music.

One of the biggest thrills he had was being the opening act for Ram Dass, who was giving a lecture at a university in Philadelphia in the early 1980s. It inspired him so much that he taught himself how to play keyboards.

He never went to music school, but had the knack to be able to pick up an instrument and start playing it.

When he passed away, we went to his studio and found his beloved acoustic guitar that had been hanging on his wall for years. When we took it down we were shocked to see the image and outline of that guitar [was] on the wall. It made us think that just as that guitar had left its mark on the wall, Michael had certainly left his mark on the world. — Sandy Diamond Milgram

***

Although my friend and spiritual brother Michael is primarily known as a musician and writer, he had also long been a visual arts creator. For example, his recent and extensive work creating beautiful videos for some of the same music he wrote about grew out of his prior years of multi-image slide show productions.

Michael also preferred to have such dynamic projected visuals accompany him in concert. At his request, I was honored to mix my own visual music creations live with several bands he played in over the last few decades. We also co-created a live audio/visual experience we titled Sacred Space. Michael also supplied soundtrack (sic) to several of my video productions, most notably my visual music video Illumination 2, (youtu.be/fTBh2w43x94) or (youtube.com/watch?v=fTBh2w43x94&feature=player_embedded,) released in 2009. — Ken Jenkins

***

Michael Diamond was not only a beloved friend, but also a wonderful bandmate and first class musician. His unique combination of tasteful synth textures and Santana-esque lead guitar was a key component of our group Spirit Rising. (reverbnation.com/spiritrising.)

Everyone who met him could tell what a laidback, loving, spiritual guy he was, but only his closest friends also knew what a delightfully wicked sense of humor he had. I miss him every day. — Jai Josefs, composer of "I Love Myself the Way I Am."

To learn more about Michael’s music and reviews, visit: michaeldiamondmusic.com.

(Note: Michael’s website will be back up shortly.) _______________________________________________________________________

By Steven Halpern – I don’t often write about this aspect of popular music, because there’s usually not that much to write about. Pop music is not generally created with the intention of promoting healing, and certainly not relaxation.

However, 50 years ago, there was a brief moment in time when a number of creative musicians were inspired to explore pop song forms that got radio play with innovative arrangements; combining the rhythms of rock, pop, the improvisational creativity of jazz, and consciousness-raising lyrics. It’s high time to acknowledge this forgotten road not traveled by many bands.

About 50 years ago, I got a midnight call from one of my best friends to come over to his apartment to hear the LP he had just bought. “It’s the Paul Butterfield Blues Band…with horns! Let’s start our own band, and you’ll be able to play trumpet again, instead of just guitar!” We did, with a lineup that included Joe Ford, who went on to play with jazz legend McCoy Tyner, but that’s another story.

As soon as I heard the textures of horns, guitars, and keyboards, I was hooked. About the same time, Blood, Sweat & Tears released their first album, spawning in short order Mike Bloomfield and The Electric Flag, Larry Coryell, Gary Burton, and the Free Spirits. Manfred Mann and Rick Derringer also released albums in this genre. I know this, because I had a direct connection with all of them in 1969.

Only one band that was formed in February 1967 built on their initial success, through many ups and downs, and continues to be vital today. That band is Chicago. Their first release (as Chicago Transit Authority) was a double album, with many familiar hits. I wore out my copy learning all the parts. That album inspired my own 8-piece jazz/rock band with horns, and we played many of these songs.

CNN aired an extraordinary documentary on January 1 that took me, and I’m sure many others, on a wonderful ride down memory lane. I’m sure the quantity of natural, music-assisted highs resonated around the country; yet it was more than that. As I watched, I could feel the accelerated flow of sound-stimulated endorphins (feel-good hormones our own bodies produce that contribute to healing feelings) coursing through my body. I even dusted off my trumpet, and held it in my hands for the first time in 10 years.

Déjà vu and Flashback Central

It’s amazing how music can trigger specific memories. No senior-moment fuzziness in this house. If you saw the show, I’m sure you had your own memories. If you didn’t, I recommend checking out the DVD or online "Now More Than Ever: The History of Chicago" this month.

One of my sharpest flashbacks was when I interviewed the band Chicago backstage at their concert in Buffalo, the summer of ’68. I spoke mostly with Jimmy Pankow, the dynamic trombone player who did most of the horn arrangements. He told me and my band’s phenomenal sax player, Joe Ford, how he was planning to write more horn parts inspired by the great Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers.

That never happened, of course. If it had, their band wouldn’t have been as successful as they have been. The documentary details the personalities, and reasons they shifted their approach. There are a few songs that they’ve done over the years that reminded me of that conversation when I first heard them on the radio.

I remember exclaiming out loud, “Hot damn, Pankow. You finally did it!” when I heard the dynamic horn parts on “Free,” and “Feeling Stronger Every Day.” It reminded me of the San Francisco Bay Area’s own Tower of Power.

Of course, their huge hit, “Beginnings,” featured the horn section. “Walt, the horns sound (or are) like one set of lungs,” Jimi Hendrix once said to Walter Parazaider and Jimmy Pankow.

Listen with attention and intention, beyond the words, and you’ll more deeply appreciate the healing power of the uplifting resonance of the trombone, trumpet, and sax. No synth matches the real deal. “Beginnings” also included Peter Cetera's brilliant bass lines, and segued into an African percussion section that broke new ground on pop radio.

Steven Halpern is a founding father of New Age music, best known for his ethereal keyboard compositions. In his New York incarnation, he co-led the #1 jazz/rock band in Buffalo while he was still in college. Steven’s latest releases are Manifesting Abundance at the Speed of Sound, and Optimal Health at the Speed of Sound. Read more at StevenHalpern.com.

The New Year is always a good time to set our intention to make some positive changes in our lives… but why limit it to just the first days of January? Why not take advantage of the latest research and your own biological neurotechnology to do so?

I’ve often been described as “a Type A ex-New Yorker.” When I want to relax, I want instant gratification. Paraphrasing the old MTV mantra, “I want my relaxation and I want it now!”

Many years ago, a holistic physician warned me that if I didn’t learn to manage and relieve my stress load, I’d be facing painful and expensive health consequences later in life. That really got my attention. and now is the “later in my life.”

That’s why health and healing, as well as spiritual growth and expanding consciousness, has always been part of my life’s work. Could I enhance my work by incorporating the latest epigenetics research?

Epigenetics, Affirmations, and Orchestrating your Optimal Life
I’m always open to new information on how to improve on my best at any point in time. In the past several years, experts like Dr. Bruce Lipton, and Dr. Deepak Chopra have brought the latest research and concepts to mainstream audiences.

One of the ways I’ve been answering the above question has been to compose and produce new albums that put these concepts into practice. Even better, benefitting is as simple as listening to the beautiful music, which has multiple levels of additional neurotechnology encoded into the sounds.

Can you speak to your genes, and if so, what would you say? Can you just think a thought and direct it to your genes, your, DNA or your subconscious mind?

According to many leading researchers, the answer is YES!

When I first met Dr. Bruce Lipton at a Science and Consciousness conference about 10 years ago, we became instant friends. One of the first questions I asked him was: “What special formulae or esoteric language should I use?”

I’ll never forget his response. “English. It seems to work well enough.”

How could something so simple work on such profound levels? I quickly moved on from the trap my logical mind was trying to use to rationalize my resistance to the concept, and began working in the new mind-field paradigm that operates in our reality.

In their book, Super Genes: Unlock the Astonishing Power of Your DNA for Optimum Health and Well-being, Dr. Deepak Chopra and Dr. Rudolph E. Tanzi provide a comprehensive summary of the research. They also provide specific examples of scripting that we can use to instruct our genes on how to behave.

Imagine that! It represents an unparalleled potential and opportunity for each of us to set our intention to manifesting optimal health and well-being.

Putting Theory Into Practice: Next-Gen Brain Balancing Music
That’s the intention I had when I began producing the latest albums in my “Brain Balancing Music for Mindfulness” series, which began in 2007. Many of the new albums combine healing music with affirmations that speak, in English, directly to the subconscious mind and genes, each with a specific focus.

All of the new recordings followed breakthroughs I’ve experienced in fine-tuning the brain to heighten receptivity with precise alpha or theta frequencies. My albums Deep Theta, Deep Alpha, and SleepScape Delta were all birthed after my personal paradigm shift.

I find that my latest compositions evoke predictable, demonstrable, and repeatable results. That is why I include a few of these key tracks on my most recent albums. It’s the most effective music I know of, and much more listenable than what I’ve heard on competitor’s products.

The new albums include: Optimal Health at the Speed of Sound, Manifesting Abundance at the Speed of Sound, Relax into Sleep at the Speed of Sound, Mindful Piano: Music for Meditation, Pain Relief at the Speed of Sound, and Clutter Clearing at the Speed of Sound. All of his CDs are now exclusively available at stevenhalpern.com.

You can also make your own recordings, with your own affirmations. Simply call your cell phone and record a few positive statements. You might choose to have some mindful music on in the background, or other favorite music.

Why not start with three? As I see it, the important thing is to take action. The new age of sound-enhanced self-care is here. Can you hear it?

For 2017, I invite you to make more conscious use of sound and music in your life, as in these times, it’s more essential than ever.

According to the ancient spiritual traditions of India, OM is the primordial vibration that is the harmonic building block of our three-dimensional world.

For millennia, people have chanted this mantra to enhance attunement with the quantum field in meditation and yoga practices.

OM ZONE 432 began as a research project. I’ve been quite pleasantly surprised with the effects of being surrounded by over an hour of music tuned to 432 Hz. I feel the subtle difference vs. in 440 Hz more than I’ve noticed any of the musical examples I’ve ever listened to.

What makes this album unique is that it is tuned to the natural Earth resonance harmonic A=432 Hz rather than A=440 (standard Western tuning). In Bach’s day, orchestras were tuned to a lower pitch than current ones. A growing number of researchers suggest that music tuned to a harmonic of Earth’s dominant harmonic, the Schumann resonance of 7.83 Hz (cycles per second) would yield even greater healing potential.

My intention in producing this recording is to create an uplifting, meditative soundscape that can be listened to as background, or as a ‘spiritual karaoke’ soundtrack, a virtual yoga choir that supports you in chanting OM or other mantras. (Most people find that chanting by oneself can get somewhat boring fairly quickly.)

OM ZONE 432 is different. It includes stellar solo performances by special guest Silvia Nakkach, as well as my duets with Silvia and Melissa Phillippe. Each track offers either more ambient or more ‘musical performance’ options.

The Cymatics research of Dr. Hans Jenny demonstrated that when OM is chanted into a steel plate covered with sand, the sand forms a geometric image of interlocking triangles universally known as the Sri Yantra.

Steven Halpern is a Grammy nominated recording artist, researcher, and pioneering sound healer. His latest releases include OM ZONE 432, Optimal Health at the Speed of Sound, and Relax into Sleep at the Speed of Sound. Learn more at StevenHalpern.com.

As we approach the end of this disappointing presidential campaign, it’s more frustrating than ever to see how alternative perspectives and proposals are ignored by the mass media. What other scandal may pop up at the last minute to change the trajectory?

Will “Saturday Night Live” continue to be the way millions gain a fresh perspective on the campaign?

Not surprisingly, I haven’t heard any candidate really speak about alternative/integrative health approaches (wellness medicine) to make our nation healthier, rather than to merely rely on ‘sickness’ medicine.

How would the potential of sound healing and medicinal music fare under either candidate? What do you think?

My Sound Health: The Music and Sounds That Make Us Whole (Harper & Row, 1985) was the first book by a major publisher to bring media and mainstream awareness to the proven benefits of certain music and sound healing tools for health and wellbeing. Studies were cited demonstrating beneficial physiological changes, such as reduced stress levels, lowered blood pressure and heart rate, and the release of oxytocin and other neurohormones associated with feeling good.

In my national book tour to support its release, I appeared on major TV and radio talk shows. The hosts were usually fascinated, as it was all new to them, and to their audiences. In some cities, like Portland, the response was so enthusiastic that I was held over for two extra segments. We hoped it would spark a much greater interest in the use of this ancient healing art, yet alas, between Big Pharma and the FDA, that hasn’t occurred yet.

My series of relaxing and healing recordings helped launch a new genre of functional wellness music, and introduced a remarkable new sound to the mix. Key to my early albums was the Fender Rhodes electric piano, essentially a series of tuning forks played by a keyboard. Much less percussive than a grand piano, its unique tonal palette produces the purest and most therapeutic tones of any keyboard or other instrument. (See the Cymatics images of how a violin’s waveforms compare on YouTube: youtu.be/Yw13EAX3cZk).

Do you recall when the FDA was attempting to outlaw the sale of music CDs, and sound and light goggles as “medical devices” back in 1993?

Could sound and music, as non-drug alternatives empowering people to take effective steps to support their own wellness be a vital part of the health care discussion? Or will its potential continue to be marginalized?

In the early 90s, I wrote a column after I participated in an intense meeting of industry leaders. To our surprise and relief, when the Republicans swept into office in the 1994 elections, the threat evaporated.

Democracy is founded upon an educated electorate…an electorate that researches the truth behind the slogans, and that knows its history. It often seems like there’s a concerted effort to keep the different realities off the discussion platform. Like a magic act, our attention is diverted, and we are distracted from what really matters.

I was delighted to learn about the remarkable and timely work of David Nicol, Ph.D. His new book, Subtle Activism: The Inner Dimension of Social and Planetary Transformation, presents an uplifting and practical exploration of how the transformative potential of consciousness can be harnessed, rather than just talking about it. (GaiaField.net)

As a sound healer, it makes sense to begin to join together with other groups or organizations, such as the Shift Network, and the Institute for Noetic Sciences (IONS). Maybe there will be a positive outcome, no matter what happens on election night.

Until next time, stay in harmony and balance with your favorite healing music,

Steven Halpern

STEVEN HALPERN is a Grammy-award nominated recording artist, researcher, and pioneering sound healer. Through his music, books, and research, he continues to explore Next-Gen sound healing. His latest releases are Relax into Sleep at the Speed of Sound, Manifesting Abundance at the Speed of Sound, and Optimal Health at the Speed of Sound, available exclusively at StevenHalpern.com until further notice.